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Abbott's Reach
Ardeana Hamlin's now-classic Pink Chimneys, set in nineteenth-century Maine, centered around a notorious Bangor brothel and told the story of the resilient Fanny, her daughter Elizabeth, and Maude, a midwife. Abbott's Reach updates the lives of that unforgettable cast of characters and introduces a new leading lady, Elizabeth's daughter M. M is a headstrong, emotional woman about to go to sea with her husband, setting the stage for an exciting tale of romance, adventure, and family strife.
292 pages, Paperback
First published April 4, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 24, 2020
The sequel to Pink Chimney’s is absolutely wonderful! Hamlin does it once again, bringing characters to life and introducing Elizabeth’s daughter Mercy as the leading lady. In the days of shipping and Captains’ wives, and families shipping together, Abbott’s Reach centers around 1870s and the Bangor, Maine. Strong women, the men they love, and the adventures of the sea this book is full of romance, adventures, family relationships. This is a good read! Can’t wait to read the the third book in the sequel, The Havener Sister’s.
July 27, 2024
a satisfying read
I read this before “Pink Chimneys”, and will be reading that next. Knowing Searsport and Stockton Springs and the Penobscot Marine Museum added to my enjoyment of this book and the characters. The story unfolded around each character and drew me in. I felt like I knew them all personally. The sights and sounds sailing around the Horn and seeing Hawaii for the first time became part of me as I read. It was a book full of experience and I would recommend it to any with a love of the sailing ships of old and interest in the people who sailed them.
I read this before “Pink Chimneys”, and will be reading that next. Knowing Searsport and Stockton Springs and the Penobscot Marine Museum added to my enjoyment of this book and the characters. The story unfolded around each character and drew me in. I felt like I knew them all personally. The sights and sounds sailing around the Horn and seeing Hawaii for the first time became part of me as I read. It was a book full of experience and I would recommend it to any with a love of the sailing ships of old and interest in the people who sailed them.
August 5, 2024
I liked it because it's a part of Maine that I'm very familiar with. Interesting to read about how things were here in the 1800's when sailing was in its heyday.
However the plot is really quite predictable and a bit bland. I will continue the series though.
However the plot is really quite predictable and a bit bland. I will continue the series though.
August 23, 2014
3.5 stars
I read Pink Chimneys a year ago, absolutely loved it, gave it 5 stars, and looked forward to its sequel.
I was disappointed in Abbott’s Reach. It took me two starts to labor through the 100+ pages of Part 1. Condensing the family drama into far fewer pages or perhaps having absorbed it as back thoughts into the narrative or counterpointed with M’s logs would have gotten us into the action much sooner.
I greatly enjoyed the sections of description. I “felt” the bitter cold of M and Madras' sleigh ride, and I appreciated learning more of the derring-do of the wives & children who accompanied the captains on the trips, the geography and landscape of the areas visited, what the characters wore and their hairstyles, crossing the Horn, etc.
I definitely did not enjoy the story of the family interrelationships or their dialogues. It felt almost amateurish after the quality of the Pink Chimneys writings. I almost put the book down a third time when her log mentions Madras using his pocket knife on her laces. Bodice ripper, really? Or it just so happened that Ellis’ daughter lives on Hawaii? Or the whole hapa cloth family dynamic?
Good historical fiction teaches us so much, and Bangor has such a rich history! Since Blythe stayed in the area, I would love to read of her life and those of her progeny as alluded to in the Epilogue. It would also be interesting to read about Naihe and his return to Hawaii.
I read Pink Chimneys a year ago, absolutely loved it, gave it 5 stars, and looked forward to its sequel.
I was disappointed in Abbott’s Reach. It took me two starts to labor through the 100+ pages of Part 1. Condensing the family drama into far fewer pages or perhaps having absorbed it as back thoughts into the narrative or counterpointed with M’s logs would have gotten us into the action much sooner.
I greatly enjoyed the sections of description. I “felt” the bitter cold of M and Madras' sleigh ride, and I appreciated learning more of the derring-do of the wives & children who accompanied the captains on the trips, the geography and landscape of the areas visited, what the characters wore and their hairstyles, crossing the Horn, etc.
I definitely did not enjoy the story of the family interrelationships or their dialogues. It felt almost amateurish after the quality of the Pink Chimneys writings. I almost put the book down a third time when her log mentions Madras using his pocket knife on her laces. Bodice ripper, really? Or it just so happened that Ellis’ daughter lives on Hawaii? Or the whole hapa cloth family dynamic?
Good historical fiction teaches us so much, and Bangor has such a rich history! Since Blythe stayed in the area, I would love to read of her life and those of her progeny as alluded to in the Epilogue. It would also be interesting to read about Naihe and his return to Hawaii.
July 29, 2012
Abbott's Reach is a wonderful story (based on fact?) about "M", full name Mercy Maude Gibbings, who gets married and travels the world on her husband's ship, the Boreas. It is about her growing up, his past, and their future together. It is about confronting adversity, learning how strong you are when you have to be, and challenging the social mores about women at that time.
The plot is fabulous and the characters are endearing. The first 30 pages or so dragged, but after that I was engaged the whole way through. The various methods of narration (1st person in M's diary and third person narration for other parts), was a bit odd and felt inconsistent, but it is obvious that Hamlin did a great did of research for this novel. I enjoyed it much more than her previous novel, Pink Chimneys. I look forward to reading more by Hamlin in the future, as I suspect she is refining her writing techniques as she ages.
The plot is fabulous and the characters are endearing. The first 30 pages or so dragged, but after that I was engaged the whole way through. The various methods of narration (1st person in M's diary and third person narration for other parts), was a bit odd and felt inconsistent, but it is obvious that Hamlin did a great did of research for this novel. I enjoyed it much more than her previous novel, Pink Chimneys. I look forward to reading more by Hamlin in the future, as I suspect she is refining her writing techniques as she ages.
October 27, 2015
This was another pleasant surprise from Ardeana Hamlin! I loved the way this book was structured, with narrative on land (mixed with M's logs) and with M's diaries by sea. It felt nicely paced for the most part, but did feel a bit too quick at the end. I fell in love with M and Madras' relationship and loved the power plays between them. Hamlin carried out the bits of feminism from Pink Chimneys nicely in this one, making them slightly less of a focus here. Shame became a pretty big theme in this sequel (as did mental health), and Hamlin played with Madras' feelings of shame and guilt in an unexpected way. This book felt really polished and overall just had me lost at sea with M, Madras, and the whole crew.
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January 1, 2016Hamlin is a local author--my copy is autographed. Great fun to read about Belfast ME area.
Notes to self: Continuation of "Pink Chimneys": Fanny now runs a boarding house, her granddaughter [M] marries a captain [Madras] and takes off around the Horn to Hawaii, learning family secrets, thence to San Francisco [navigating], thence home to Maine to have a baby Blythe and meet the Havener sisters. Epilogue tells what happens to all the characters.
Notes to self: Continuation of "Pink Chimneys": Fanny now runs a boarding house, her granddaughter [M] marries a captain [Madras] and takes off around the Horn to Hawaii, learning family secrets, thence to San Francisco [navigating], thence home to Maine to have a baby Blythe and meet the Havener sisters. Epilogue tells what happens to all the characters.
April 27, 2011
An enthralling story with lots of local color. I enjoyed it enormously.
June 3, 2011
This book was ok. I really like the book Pink Chimneys by the same author.
March 4, 2013
Great story! The author is a native Mainer!
March 28, 2015
Author continues with story she started in the book Pink Chimneys. She does a brilliant job of describing Maine seafaring families and their lives. Enjoyed this book immensely!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews